High School Hockey Notebook: Huge Turnaround For Xavier

Coach Dan DeConti impressed with how Xavier hockey team has bounced back

After taking three major penalties and losing by a combined score of 11-2 in its first three games, Xavier-Middletown called a team meeting.

"We just kind of laid everything out on the table," coach Dan DeConti said Monday. "I threw the stats and the penalty minutes out there, and we all went through the list of things we were doing [taking penalties, getting outworked and not getting the pucks to the net]. These were all things we could control as a team."

The players were listening.

Since that December meeting, Xavier has gone 6-2-2, lost just two one-goal games and taken just one major penalty.

"It is a credit to the 26 guys on the roster," DeConti said. "They've really held up their end of the deal. Everyone is in it for each other and not for themselves."

The turnaround started Dec. 27 with a 4-0 victory over St. Joseph-Trumbull and continued with victories over East Catholic-Manchester and Greenwich. But it wasn't until last week that the Falcons really hit stride, beating Fairfield Prep (4-2) and LaSalle Academy of Rhode Island (5-2) and catching the attention of the state.

"It has just been a matter of outworking our opponent and giving 100 percent," DeConti said. "We're not looking for the perfect shot anymore, we're just looking to get pucks to the net and get rebounds."

It was the Falcons' first victory over Fairfield Prep since 2005. And for DeConti, a former Xavier player and assistant, the first he got to enjoy on the bench. A decade ago, DeConti, then JV coach, missed the game because he was playing in his own game with the Central Connecticut State club team.

"I never suspected we had a chance of beating Fairfield Prep [at the start of the year]," DeConti said. "Any time you get the opportunity to beat them, it is great."

The improvement in such a short time has been equally impressive. Goal totals have gone up, penalty minutes have gone down. DeConti said the team was averaging 14 penalty minutes at the start of the season but is now at less than 10 minutes.

"I have two great captains in [senior] Adam Aresco and [senior] Hunter Wilcox," DeConti said. "They really took control after the meeting. They've set the pace for practice and games. We're really relying on their leadership right now."

The Falcons have also leaned on junior Cam Pollack, senior David Piekut and sophomore Gordon Gurnell, and twins Austin and Brett Reid, whose brother Tyler was the goalie when it last beat Fairfield Prep.

Pollack has six goals and six assists and Gurnell has five goals and four assists.

We have a team of 26, we don't have individuals," DeConti said. "We have 26 guys that work well together and I think that is a big piece of the puzzle."

Skenyon's Busy Season

South Windsor has won one game, but junior goalie Scott Skenyon has done his best to keep the team in games. The junior has made at least 20 saves in every game, including 36 in a 2-0 loss to No. 6 Glastonbury last week. South Windsor is 1-11. … Tri-Town sophomore forward Ryan Sherba had four goals in a 5-4 loss against NFA/Bacon Academy/St.Bernard/Lyman Memorial Saturday. Sherba has 20 goals and 15 assists this season for Tri-Town (7-5). … Forward Jake Arnold scored with nine seconds left in overtime Saturday to give Simsbury (8-4) a 3-2 victory over Northwest Catholic High of West Hartford. The goal came exactly a year after Arnold sustained a season-ending injury against Northwest Catholic. … With four straight victories, Conard has moved atop the Division II point standings. The Chieftains (8-3) have doubled their win total from a year ago, winning with offense (4.9 goals a game) and defense (two shutouts).